Burnaby-Douglas MP Kennedy Stewart is asking his constituents what they think about a proposed pipeline expansion that would mean more oil coming through Burnaby and increased tanker traffic in the Burrard Inlet.
"We're surveying every household in the riding," Stewart said. "It gives us a sense of what's wrong with the project, what is it that people don't like. At this point, it's all the environmental risks with really no benefits."
The survey covers 44,000 households, and Stewart expects the results in a couple of weeks.
Kinder Morgan's 1,150-kilometre Trans Mountain pipeline runs from Edmonton to Burnaby and is twinned in some areas. Burnaby is also home to the Westridge Marine Terminal, which ships oil abroad.
To increase shipping capacity and meet rising demand, Kinder Morgan would have to twin more sections of the existing line. The Trans Mountain pipeline's maximum capacity is now at 300,000 barrels a day, but the most it could handle, if fully expanded, is up to 700,000 barrels.
Kinder Morgan's pipeline expansion plans depend on market demand. The company intends to see if there is interest this fall, but the timing has not been confirmed.
"It will be up to our customers to express interest in additional capacity," said Lexa Hobenshield, Kinder Morgan spokesperson.
Once they've tested the market demand, it will still be a while before the company makes a decision on expanding the pipeline.
"We will not take the next steps on expansion until we know we have customer support," Hobenshield said. "Next steps at that time will be developing and completing a consultation process, along with other studies. At this time there is no application for expansion before the regulator."
Stewart, the NDP's associate natural resources critic, wants more public discussion on the expansion idea.
"The problem is they start working ahead on these projects and ask the public only after they've started. We want to be ahead on this one," Stewart said.
Stewart's local poll follows a Mustel poll he commissioned that showed 31 per cent of British Columbians support twinning the pipeline, while 35 per cent wanted to keep the existing single pipeline. Another 11 per cent wanted the pipeline removed altogether, and 22 per cent had no opinion.
